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With reference to the article Golf Courses “a closed chapter” for Frans Agius, published on the MaltaToday on Sunday 4 September 2005 the Parliamentary Secretariat for Agriculture and Fisheries would like to note the following:
The Parliamentary Secretary Dr Francis Agius never refused to grant an interview to MaltaToday. The first request by MaltaToday for an interview with Dr Frans Agius reached the communications office on the 20 July 2005. The undersigned asked for the questions in writing so that all the necessary information can be gathered. These questions, regarding Agriculture and Fisheries, were sent by Karl Schembri on the same day by email at 12.38pm. Contrary to what MaltaToday’s journalist did six weeks ago, MaltaToday is now holding (in the editorial on page 13) that “it is not MaltaToday’s policy to forward questions prior to an interview being conducted”. It is also important to note that the golf course issue was not among the questions sent.
The following day (21 July 2005) an interview with Dr Agius was scheduled for Monday 29 August 2005 at 9.00am, as the Parliamentary secretary Dr Francis Agius was abroad and not to let, “enough time for diplomatic storm with Malta’s southern neighbours to cool into oblivion without taking a stand on the threat to Maltese fishermen” as erroneously stated in the article.
The journalist replied, on the same day stating that that, “by then everyone would have forgotten of Dr Agius. Thank god I wrote down the questions cos I would have forgotten what I wanted to ask. Have a wonderful summer.” The undersigned answered back asking if MaltaToday was still interested to interview Dr Agius but there was no reply from MaltaToday..
On the Wednesday 24 August 2005, Karl Schembri sent an email asking, “Is the interview on Monday still on? The golf course proposal may be a good starting point to discuss”. Given that there was no reply, prior to this communication, to the 21 July email as to whether MaltaToday was still interested in the 29 August interview; the appointment was re-set for Friday 2 September 2005 at 11.00am. On Thursday 1 September an email was sent at 9.38am by the undersigned asking Mr Schembri “I would like you to forward to me all questions re the Golf course and any other questions, as this topic was not mentioned in the first request for the interview”. Karl Schembri answered on 1 September 2005 at 9.57am stating that new questions will be asked but they will not sent before the interview.
The last communication between this Secretariat and MaltaToday was an email sent by the undersigned on Friday 2 September at 6.41pm stating “I would like to reiterate that Dr Agius is willing to grant MaltaToday an interview. He is still waiting for your questions to answer them”. There was no reply to this email and no questions to be answered by Dr Agius were forwarded.
It is most unfair for MaltaToday to hold that Dr Agius “called off” the interview and “allowed arrogance to take over”. MaltaToday was more interested having juicy headlines than in carrying out the interview with Dr Frans Agius.
Dr Francis Agius would also like to state that he shares Government’s commitment to safeguard agricultural land as much as possible. Once more he would like to state that the proposed site at Ix-Xaghra l-Hamra is more than double the size needed for the development of a golf course and thus it provides the opportunity to plan the golf course on the less sensitive ecological and agricultural areas in the site. Moreover, before the final decisions are taken, the whole EIA process has to be concluded.
Randolph Spiteri
Communications Coordinator
Parliamentary Secretariat for Agriculture and Fisheries
Editorial note: The first set of questions was sent as a sign of good will with the parliamentary secretary with the stated proviso that they were technical in nature and may have needed some preparation, and that any further questions may be asked freely by the journalist during the interview. Mr Spiteri’s refusal to stick to the final appointment unless further questions were sent beforehand was effectively a refusal by Dr Agius to be interviewed.
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